Method of printing by sound.



A. G. FERGUSON. METHOD OF PRINTING BY SOUND.

urmuunm mm) 1111. 21, 1903. 999,975. Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

' BSIIBBTB-BHBET 1.

A. G. FERGUSON.

METHOD OF PRINTING BY SOUND.

APPLICATION FILED JAN; 21, 190.3. I

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 [/VVEJVTOR UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR o. rnaeusou, or snooxgirn, 'NEW YORK, assreuoa or ELEVEN-SIXTEENTHS ro LYMAN c. sqmrrn, or srnnousn, new YORK.

METHOD OF PRINTING BY'SUUND.

Application filed January 21, 1903. Serial No. 140,023.

Specification of Letters'latent.

Patented Aug. 8,

' either a letter or a series of letters comprising a word which, when pronounced, produces a sound varying 1n its vibrations from different from other sounds and thus print through an interposed member a character corresponding to the sound produced before a transmitter. These characters are capable of being used as codes for the transmission it-intelligence by secret letters or combinations thereof constituting words, but the invention is not'confined in its scope to this application alone and can be applied in various arts, as found desirable.

The interposedmember whose duty is to differentiate, the vibrations of different sounds impinged upon 'the diaphragm and I to'seilectthe required printing member according. to-su'ch diflerences of sound vibrations,-1s-in'this instance actuated by an electricjeu'rrent or circuit which may be either an undulatory current or a make'and break circuit as" d'esiredig "I have in this instance ,employed theopen or make and break circuit and'I apprehend the use of an undulatory current with the special and well known aadjuncts thereto adapted as an equivalent intermediary for selecting de' .sired printing devices, the control of said current being the peculiar sound waves of each letter or word to be printed. The in vention in this regard is based upon the e sound waves of every principle that as t sound produced at the diaphragm differ letter or word, 2'. e., sound or combination of for the purpose 0* against the stop C? and moved in a disounds, is controlled or set into operation by only the peculiar eftect which is produced on the intermediary by'the particular vibrations of the diaphragm produced by the par- .ticular word or sound directed thereto. The

initial force employed is that of the sound waves upon the diaphragm b'iit for perform-' ing the operation of actual'printing an extraneous force is used and released or brought into operation by the initial motive agency residing in the sound waves themselves." As hereinafter shown waves I spacing may be accomplished independently of the printing mechanism and by an independent intermedially applied force controlled by the aforesaid initial force. Other, features, objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation 'of-one form of printing apparatus embodying my method; Fig. 2 1s a modification of a detail of construction; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan Showing in detail certain electrical connections; Fig. 4 isa plan of the diaphragm-operated .selecting devices; Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the parts shown in Fig; 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the diaphragm-operated contacts; and Fi 7 is a detail in perspective of one of t e co-actjng contactcarrying arms. v v

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A is the platen of a typewriter, B the carriage, C the step by step feed, comprising the rack C and dogs C pivotally mounted on the brackets C and retracted by a spring rection opposite the pull of the spring by an electro-magnet 'D, the armature of which is,

anarm C formed on one of thedogs G all as commonly formed in electrically o erated typewriters. The magnet D is energized by a attery D through conductors (Z, if and .d havingclosing contacts located and noperated' in forth. 0 Y E represents the usual-series of type bars I a manner hereinafter to beset.

each having a typeor types to print a letter, letters or a word. orwords and arrangedto cooperate-with. the platen A and to print upon the paper'A' thereon. In-an applica Y {@911 5 my e tion We matrix' making ire , e will, by reason of the energy stored in the skill of an electrician.

machine the paper A should be of any suitable matrix material.

E is one of a series of magnets, one for the operation, of each bar E, as usual in electrical typewriters. The magnets E are eachconnected to a battery E which may be designated as the printing battery as it supplies the power or motive agent to perform that work and for the same reason battery D may. be designated as the spacing battery. The printing battery is connected to the magnets E by lines e. From each magnet there is a line 6 and from the battery a line 6 between which lines 6 and 6 contacts are provided for closing the circuit through any desired magnet by connections hereinafter to be described.

A shunt circuit d extends from the spacing magnet D to contact d insulatedly sup ported at d in the paths of each of the type bars E and a line 01 connecting lines d and 6 complete said shunt circuit. This shunt circuit takes the, place of the well-known universal bail whereby after an impression a type bar performs the function of letter spacing. The main line cl 0. enables such spacing to be done by sound in the interval of printing, as, for example, between words. It is apparent that either means may be employed and that the specific" printing devices and the particular electrical connections shown may be displaced by others" well-known or devisable by the expected it is apparent that a closure of thecircuite battery E energize the magnet E and cause the type bar E to imprint itscharacter on the paper or other surface A" on the platen A (see dotted position) and at the same time or immediately thereafter through magnet D, actuate the feed dogs C by contacting on 0Z and as before stated the type bar E being retracted (see full lines) said magnet may be energized through the main circuit d d before described. As will hereinafter appear batteries 1) and E pro vide a reserve energy extraneous to the initial agent employed to release and control said extraneous forces. 1

The circuit from battery D extends by line (Z to ma net 1) and thence by line d to post P ig. 3).. The opposite pole of this battery is connected by line a? with return post I whereby the circuit through the spacer magnet B may be completed by the means shown by dotted lines in Fi 3. The battery E is also connected to t e post I byline e with magnet E which is also in circuit with the post Q by line 6'. Extend ing from the line e'is a shunt line 03 connected to line (Z, while the magnet D isalso provided with. shunt line a? extending to contact a? whereby when the parts are in serve to removably support the disk.

In the form shown dotted line position in Fig. 1 a circuit passes through the bar E and magnet D to operate the spacing mechanism.

One form of apparatus for embodying my method of producing printed impressions will now be described.

Upon a suitable standard or support F is a. bar G having thereon suitable standards G for the support of a disk G containing a diaphragm Gr clamped by a metal ring G. A mouthpiece G of usual construction is arranged in rear of said diaphragm and from the latter there projects a rod H having branches H, H said rod being electrically connected with the ring G by a flexible conductor G. At the bottom of the disk G (Fig. 5) there-is a metallic pin G" rising from the bar G into a slight depression in the disk which with the screws G A short wire Gr connects the ring G with said pin and the latter by conductor G is connected to a binding post I to which all the return or battery lines (1 e extend.

- The lines going to the individual printing magnets and to the spacing magnet proceed fromthe contacts now to be described.

As shown in Fig. 6, the rod-H projecting from the diaphragm Gr is provided with branches or contacts H H and H the last being the end of the rod and the other on arms projecting from the rod. The contact H serves to complete the spacing magnet circuit and the remaining contacts the printing magnet circuits. The number of contacts may be as many as desired, but for the purpose of c'learness of illustration and description of my invention I have limited the contacts as shown. Mounted on the bar Gr are brackets J K, one at eacli side of the bar H and in each of said brackets is mounted a bell-crank lever L and M respectively,

the vertical arm of which carriesan adjust= ing screw L M respectively. The horizontal arms of the levers L and M are pressed upward by a suitable spring L beneath them on the-base of the bracket and are adapted to be depressed by the rotation of a shaft N having a flattened portion and operated by a thumb-nut N at its end. A companion'shaft N Fig. 4, serves to control the bell-crank L which is a duplicate of crank M in construction and purpose. Fig. 7 shows in perspective one of the bell-crank levers, and its contact point which is designed to coact with the contact H of,the .rodH. There is also mounted upon the bar G a standardjO, the base 0' of which is adjustably secured in a grooved plate 0 by means of the thumb-nut 0 this adjustment being toward and away from the diaphragm. In the standard there is mounted for vertical adjustment by means of a nut against the stem a plate 0 carrying a spring cushioned contact rod .0 adapted 7 between the standards is a coiled spring which serves yieldingly by engaging projec-,

to co-act with the contact H ontlie rod Hi The plate 0 has two-standards O in which the contact rod Ois mounted. mot/ably and tion 0 to press the contact 0" toward the companion gcontact H Fromthe contact members there extend individual electrical conductors to aseries of binding posts with which separate lines extending from individual printing magnets are connected. From the bracket J a line p extends through to the lower surface of the bar Gr and to the binding post P, to which the spacing battery jline d isconnected. From the' support of the binding post Q and thus with contacts said latter magnet operate a type. lever to g as H 0 Then letthe bracket K, carrying the contact lever M, be connected to the binding post It and let the individual line of another printing magnet'E be connected with said post and thus with contacts H M and let print the letter S It is of course understood and is readily apparent that the lines extending from the diaphragm contacts to the printing mechanism may be of any prac tical length and that such length is within the limits of the transmission of an electric current and for that reason the sample ap-- paratus herein shown and described is=one that has no mechanical connection in the usual meaning of the term with the printing mechanism, the only connection being the electrical conductors employed.

If desired the form and'arrangement of the diaphragm contacts may be varied as figures. 7 1

By means of the screws L M in the co also the number thereof. In Fig. 2 there is shown an arrangement differing somewhat from that illustrated in other figures of. .the drawings in which the rod H has a transverse rod H on which are four contacts H and opposite these four are adjustably mounted spring cushioned co -.acting cont-acts which are sub ect tothe same mechanical and electrical lines and conditions of use-as are those shown in the remaining tact'levers L and M an exceedingly fine adjustment of the distance between the contact points on said levers and those on the rod H is attainable. In the same manner a light, fine, adjustment between the contacts H and 0 may be secured. After such an the sha adjustment of the contacts either of those on either side of the rod Hmay be thrown out'or separated by a partial rotation of one or the other of the shafts N or N. So also Y may either be varied in adjustment with ex% treme nicety by bringing the flattened per tion of the shaft N with a slight pressure upon the horizontal arm of the contact lever thereby depressing the same against the ten= sion spring beneath it.

The apparatus has demonstrated in actual use the production of printed letters to; re-

corddifi'erent sounds individually-by spea'king the same in front of the: diaphragm'and the printing ofsaid letters'collect-i-vely by speaking the same as a word orcombine'd sound in front of thediaphragm audit has also in practice accomplished the actual work of letter spacing by means of sound directed toward the diaphragm. In fact the adjust ment of the apparatus is so sensitive thatjby merely blowing. against the diaphragm the spacing mechanism has been put into r'egu-" lar intermittent and continued intermittent operation. This operation "is accomplished as described independently ofthe printing mechanism-andjwhen the latter is not employed.

The various contacts employed-are, as before stated, adjusted with extreme fineness and this when the distances between the same are extremely-limited, none 'of the contacts being in actual touch with another.'

It is a principle of adjustment that thosecontactswhich are toclose. the printing circ-uit of a sound or letter, the sound waves of which possess greater amplitude, are adjusted at a greater distance from eachothe'r than the contacts on the line of a printing member adapted to print the name of asounder letter, the sound waves o-f'whi'charelof lesser amplitude. As in sound waves rapidity as well as amplitude exists in different degrees in different sounds, so also may diflerences in rapiditydo lthe work of follows that a series ofcontacts may be ar'-" -ranged as, for example, in Fig. 2, wherein the distances between each member and its co-acting contact, may gradually. increase and the printing members-connected with I theindividualcontacts of such series be adapted to print the name representing a sound by-a letter or series of letters, the waves of which bear a similar relation to-the several contacts in such a series. I

selecting or individualizing printing mem 'bers for-given sounds. From the' above it fThe operation is as follows. Bymeans of i s N N the'lever contacts L and M are separated from .the'cont'act-s H and H of the diaphragm leaving thecontacts H O" in operative juxtaposition and as these are connected, with the printing member which prints the latterA it" isapparent that when the sound of said letter &

of less amplitude than the letter A the diaphragm is operated to such a degree as toset into operation only the desired printing member and the letter S is printed. Now leaving the parts in the adjustment just described both levers L and M will contact with pointsH and H and the printing members will operate to print the word AS when the sound thereof is spoken in tront of the diaphragm.v I find in practice,

that, in some measure, the manner of vocalizing the sounds to be printed can be advantageously varied. It is in. accord, to some degree, with the fineness of adjustment of the apparatus employed, the more sensitive the adjustment the less'difierence in vocalization beingrequired.

While this invention has been described as for use in a phone typewriter, still it will be seen that it is applicable for use in sending' secret or code signals which may be controlled by the contacts so that either one one plurality of contacts mafy be made, dependmg upon the intensity o the sound.

' In the form of invention shown in Fig. 1 the contact points H and H may be separatelynsed by a proper adjustment of the levers L and M, and when both ofthese levers are in operative position a predetermined sound will cause one to contact and print a character corresponding thereto, while a sound of greater intenslty will close both contacts and print a plurality of characters. This is further illustrated in the modification shown in Fig. 2 where asound of one intensity would make the first contact, whlle the increasing intensity of the sound vibrations would successively add seems an additional contactto. the series until a sound adapted to throw in the contact farthest removed, would print all succeeding ones, making a word or symbol of four characters corresponding to the sound produced.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. The met-hod' of recording sound waves which consists in utilizing a succession of said waves as a motive force to'initiate the operation of mechanism actuated by a sepa rate source of energy for printing a legible character corresponding to certain tone characteristics of said waves.

2. The method of recording sound Waves which consists in controlling independently driven mechanism for actuating a printing.

character by the vibrations of adiaphragm actuated by said waves when a sound corresponding to the character is spoken.

3. The method of recording sound waves consisting in utilizing said waves for con trolling a separate source of energy to actuate a character printing mechanism.

4. The methodof recording sound Wavesdiaphragmand a character printing mechanism an electrical motive agent and varying the connections between said agent and diaphragm in accordance with the ampli-' tude of the sound waves.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR O. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:-

ALFRED T. GAGE, GEORGE M.'BOND. 

